Railway car structure



I J y v w. J. TANGERMAN 2,380,086

RAILWAY CAR STRUCTURE Filed April 10, 1944 IN V EN TOR.

WZUaLInJ Tangerma/z) Patented July 10, 1945 RAILWAY CAR STRUCTURE William J. Tangerman, Hammond, Ind., assignor to Standard Railway Equipment Manufacturing Company, Chica Delaware go, 11]., a corporation -of Application April 10, 1944, Serial No. 530,383

Claims.

The invention relates to railway house cars, such as box, automobile and refrigerator cars, and has for itsobject to provide very strong corner posts for use with a car end wall made of relatively thin metallic sheets and provided with a plurality of substantially parallel horizontal corrugations, which corrugations form a plurality of beams between the opposite corner posts of the car to resist a shifting load and to keep the car in square. More specifically the object of the invention is to provide a corner post which is so formed and has'its opposite ends so secured to the roof structure and underframe structure, re-

spectively, as to provide a very strong beam between these structures to resist forces in any horizontal direction and to also secure the corner post to these structures so as toprevent it from rotating about its vertical axis, or in other words, to resist torque. I

A shifting load in a railway freight car exerts a horizontal force against the end wall and if the end wall deflects outwardly the middle portions of the corner posts are pulled inwardly, while the tops and bottoms, respectively, of the corner posts are held in position and prevented from coming toward each other by the end plate and end sill, respectively, thus causing a bowing or horizontal beam action on each corner post. Railway cars are frequently cornered in service; that is, some outside object is thrown against 7? a corner post (or the car is thrown against the outside object) causing a horizontal force to be exerted toward the inside of the car.

Each corner post is also a strut of the overhanging portion of the side truss of the car; (that is, the portion beyond the body bolster) and as such must act as a column or compression member between the side plate and side sill of the car.

A further object is to associate the vertical marginal portion of the corrugated metallic sheet end wall with a vertically disposed member to form a hollow triangular structural beam and column between the roof structure and the underframe structure, which combined structure functions as a comer post to resist forces heretofore mentioned, and a further object is to attach the ends of thecorrugations (in the end sheet) to the opposite hollow triangular structural beams so as to cause the corrugations to function as beams, fixed or partially fixed at their ends,

thus materially increasing their beam strength.

A further object is to extend the corrugations in the above mentioned corrugated metallic sheet end wall so that any load imposedlthereon is transmitted p a ly to the vertical member ad- A further object is to secure one of the elements of the aforesaid hollow triangular structural beam to the metallic side wall sheet so as to ob tain cooperation therebetween to resist the various stresses to which a car is subjected in service.

A further object is to associate the corrugations with the corner post so as to transmit at least a part of the stresses imposed thereon to the side wall sheet.

A further object of the invention is to form a structural corner post for a railway car consisting of an inner member comprising substantially normally disposed arms, each or either, of which may be provided with a flange for attaching means, and an outer member extending diagonally in substantially a straight line between and secured to said arms to form a hollow triangular structural beam to resist horizontal forces in any direction and'also to form a vertical column,

A further object of the invention is to form a marginal flange of the sheet so that it extends diagonally across the arms of said inner member and forms the outer member of the corner post, and to cause the corrugations of the sheet to extend across one of said arms and to terminate in said sheet adjacent the edge of the other of said arms, thereby materially reenforcing the corner post structure.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 shows a typical end wall for a railway car embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary side view of a car showing an end elevation of the end wall of Fig. 1.

' Fig. 3 is an enlarged cross sectional view on the line 33 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged vertical section through a car side plate and illustrating an adaptation of the invention to a roof for a railway car.

The drawing shows the usual parts of the car, such as the roof structure I (including the side plates 2; end plates 3 and roof proper 3; corner casting 5 and other associated elements) the underframe structure 6 (including the side sill I; end sill 8; corner casting 9 and other associated elements); side wall sheet l0; side lining ll side flange 2| of the end wall sheet and the flange I8 of the member I5 are secured to the side sill "I by means of the rivets 25 (Fig. 2) and to the side plate 2 by means of the rivet 21 (Fig. 2).

The Vertical marginal portion 28 of the end wall sheet 20 and the flange I9 of the member I5 are secured to the end sill 6 by the rivet 30 (see Fig. 1), and the corner casting 9. The vertical margin 28 of the end wall sheet 20 and the flange I9 of the member I-5 are secured to the roof structure by the upper corner casting 5. (The upper part of the corrugated end wall sheet perform the functions of the usual horizontal'beam secured to the tops of the corner posts and called an end plate.) The arms I6 and I! of the vertical member I5 are welded to the underframe structure and these arms are also securely welded to the roof structure, as is common, and thus means are provided to secure the arms |6|'| of the member I5 to the roof structure I and underframe structure 6, respectively, and also means are provided to secure the flange 2| of the end wall sheet 2|! and the adjacent marginal portion 28 of the end wall sheet to the roof structure I and underframe structure 6, respectively. Also means are provided to secure the arms I6 and I! of the member I5 to the flange 2| of the end wall sheet 20 and the body of the end wall sheet 20, respectively, to form a triangular box structural element. In other words, I have shown and described. a corner post comprising a box structural element secured to the roof structure and underframe structure, respectively,-to provide a very strong beam therebetween and to resist torque.

My invention is an improvement over the invention disclosed and claimed in the Jumper et 21. Patent No. 2,185,168, of December 26, 1939, which patent is owned by my assignee, and thus I have illustrated my improved end wall sheet as having the same type of horizontal corrugations formed therein as are shown and claimed in said Jumper et al. patent. Said corrugations consist of a plurality of substantially parallel major corrugations 4!] with a pluralit of minor corrugations II disposed therebetween. In the Jumper et al. construction it will be noted that the flange f the corrugated end wall sheet 20 is formed on a curve of relativel large radius, which, with the vertical member, forms substantially a rectangular box structural beam to resist such forces as are imposed upon the end and/or side walls of the car and are carried to said beam. An inward or outward horizontal force against the end wall or any other force on the end wall of the car which would tend to pull the corners of the car inwardly would also tend to collapse the box structure of the beam. In other words, the arms I6 and I! would tend to separate and the arch of the sheet tend to assume more of a straight line. Therefore, my invention comprises forming the metallic sheet 20 (forming the end wall of the car) with an acute angled straight flange 2| extending between said arms I6 and ll of the corner post I in substantially a straight line and to provide the end wall sheet 20 with substantially horizontal corrugations 40 which cross one of said arms (I 'I) and merge into the flange 2| adjacent the other of said arms (I6), thus forming a triangular hollow structure. In other words, the corrugations 40 traverse the main part of the end wall sheet 20 (between the spaced corner posts I5) and also traverse the major part of the acute angled flange 2|. The wall sheet (including the flange 2|) may be welded to the arms I6 and I1, respectively, or the arms may be provided with flanges I8|9 for rivets 2224, as shown in Fig. 3. The corrugations 40 reinforce the flange 2| against buckling when under compression. The arms I6 and I1 incombination with the acute angled flange 2| form a triangular hollow structural beam. A shifting loadin the car exerts a hori- "zontal outward thrust on the corrugations tending to bow them outwardly and consequently tending to pull the corner posts toward each other. The resulting force puts the flange 2| in tension and immediately brings both arms I6 and I! into play to resist such force; in other words, the arms IE and I1 and the flange 2| co-. operate to form a strong hollow triangular corner post structure. To collapse a triangular hollow structural beam, the force exerted upon it would have to be great enough to buckle one of its sides, and consequently the triangular structure forms a much stronger post than the rectangular form. A force on the end wall from the inside of the car, as in a shifting load, or from the outside of the end wall, tending to pull the corner posts together, would put the diagonal portion of the triangular post under tension. whereas a force on the side of the corner post, as in the case of a turn over or side swipe, or the like, would put said diagonal member under compression. To strengthen the corner post structure when under compression, the horizontal corrugations in the end wall sheet continue across said diagonal flange (2|) portion of the sheet and merges into said flange at approximately the juncture of said flange and outer arm I 6. That portion of the ends of the corrugations extending between the arms I6 and I! have the bottoms of the valleys thereof formed on a straight line, but the ridges of said corrugations are preferably formed on a curve, both as indicated more clearly at 30 and 3|, respectively,

Fig. 3.

In Fig. 4 I have illustrated the invention as I applied to the roof of a railway car, wherein the side plate 2 extends longitudinally of the car and connects the tops of the side posts of the car body. The side plate comprises the angularly disposed arms 5| and 52, provided with flanges 53 and 54, respectively. The side wall sheathing 55 is secured to the flange 54 of the arm 52. The roof sheet 56 is inclined upwardly or arched to provide a water shed. This sheet 55 is formed with an acute angled flange 58. The roof sheet 56and the flange 58 are corrugated so that the corrugations extend between the arms 5| and 52 with the valleys '60 of said corrugations formed on a straight line therebetween. In thi modifica tion the ridges of ,said corrugations are straight (5|) to provide a tapering corrugation. Thus there is provided a side plate of hollow triangular cross section which is much stronger than the ordinary conventional railway car side plate. The side wall lining is shown a 62.

In the modification shown in Fig. 3 the arms I6 and I! with the straight flange 2| of the wall sheet form aframe member and likewise in the modification shown in Fig. 4 the arms 5| and 52 with the straight flange 58 of the roof sheet form a frame member. Similar structures may comprise frame members of other car structures, such as side doors, hopper doors or side walls.

While I have shown the corrugations merging into each other to form a contiguous configuration, this feature is not necessary to my invention and the corrugations may be spaced apart with flat portions of the flanges (2| or 58) therebetween.

The accompanying drawing illustrates the preferred form of the invention, though it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the exact details of construction shown and described, as it is obvious that various modifications thereof, Within the scope of'the claims, will occur to persons skilled in the art.

I claim:

1. In a railway ,oar having a corner structure comprising a vertical member comprising angularly disposed arms, an end wall sheet comprising a body part formed with a flange, means to secure said body part of the wall sheet to one of said arms, and means to secure said flange of the wall sheet to the other of said arms, whereby a box structural beam is provided, said wall sheet provided with a plurality of horizontal corrugations which extend around the corner of the car and merge into said sheet flange, portions of said flange being substantially straight between said arms to provide reenforcement for said corner structure.

2. In a railway car having a corner structure comprising a vertical member comprising angularly disposed arms, an end wall sheet comprising a body part formed with a flange, means to secure said body part of the wall sheet to one of said arms, and means to secure said flange of the wall sheet to the other of said arms, whereby a box structural beam is provided, said wall sheet provided with a plurality of horizontal corrugations which extend around the corner of the car and merge into said sheet flange, the portions of said corrugations in said flange having the ridges thereof formed on a curve and the valleys thereof formed on substantially a straight line between said arms to provide reenforcement for said corner structure. I

3. In a railway car having a corner structure comprising a vertical member comprising angularly disposed arms, an end wall sheet comprising a body part formed with a flange extending between and secured to said arms, whereby a hollow structural beam is provided, said wall sheet provided with a plurality of horizontal corrugations which extend substantially across said flange, the valleys of said corrugations being substantially straight between said arms to provide reenforcement for said corner structure.

4. In a railway car structure comprising a frame member comprising angularly disposed arms and a metallic sheet formed with an acute angled straight flange extending between and secured to said arms, said sheet and flange provided with a plurality of corrugations extending substantially normal to said frame member and merging into said flange adjacent the outermost of said arms.

5. A metallic sheet formed with an acute angled marginal flange, said sheet and flange provided with a plurality of corrugations merging into said flange, the portion of said corrugations in said flange having the valleys thereof formed on substantially a straight line.

6. A metallic sheet formed with an acute angled marginal flange, said sheet and flange provided with a plurality of corrugations merging into said flange, the portion of said corrugations in said flange having the ridges thereof formed on a curve and the valleys thereof formed on substantially a straight line.

7. An end wall sheet adapted for use with a frame member comprising angularly disposed arms, said sheet formed with an acute angled marginal flange adapted to extend between and be secured to said arms, said sheet and flange provided with a plurality of corrugations merging into said flange, the valleys of said corrugations formed on substantially a straight line.

8. A railway car structure comprising a member comprising substantially normally disposed arms, a metallic sheet having a main portion extending normally to one of said arms, said sheet being bent to form a secondary portion extending in substantially a straight line between said arms to form a triangular box structure, said main and secondary portions of said sheet formed with corrugations which cross one of said arms and merge into said sheet adjacent the other of said arms, and means to secure said sheet to said arms respectively.

9. A railway car structure comprising a member comprising substantially normally disposed arms, a metallic sheet having a main portion extending normally to one of said arms, said sheet being bent on a line adjacent one of said arms to form a secondary portion extending in substantially a straight line between said arms to form a triangular box structure, said main and secondary portions of said sheet formed with corrugations which cross said line and merge into said sheet adjacent the other of said arms, and means to secure said sheet to said arms respectively.

WILLIAM J. TAN GERMAN. 

